Oil Painting - Getting Done With Oil

Murtaza Habib

Oil painting has its roots during the ancient Roman era, and in the following years, its reputation immediately disperse throughout the other regions.

Oil painting is the progression of painting with pigments using dry oils, most particularly linseed oil, poppy seed oil, safflower oil, and walnut oil.

Artists diverge and contrast in style, stroke, or color, they want to portray. Different kinds of oil likewise present different colors and characteristics. Some, in a single painting, use different oils to depict the character and mood of their expressions.

To begin, most artists make a sketch to draw round and chart in the theme of their paintings. From there, the pigment will be applied to the surface which likewise varies, depending on the artist.

It may range from a canvas, cardboard, pressed wood, paper, slate, or wooden panel. The artist may opt to mix the pigment first with the oil of their choice, rather than applying the pigment on the surface, and topped with oil.

A universal rule among painters is the "fat over lean" rule which means that less oil should be applied at the surface to allow easy drying of the material. The higher the layer, the oilier it gets, thereby giving the outer layer the best glow in the canvas.

Moreover, this should be the standard technique because the lower layer sucks up the paint from the upper layers.

The surface coat or the under painting lay an important foundation and must be carefully applied. A thinner or turpentine lays the groundwork in every oil painting. Let it dry, and then proceed to undertake the mosaic surface or beginning with a murky or shadowy color to the brightest.

Here, the painting will appear dramatic, not to mention. Again, this layer has to be dried up. The artist may proceed to add intricate details in the next layer, and then the succeeding ones.
However, this may take years to dry up. In the Impressionist era, notable artist in this period is Jan van Eyck, began reconstructing the traditional technique called "Direct Painting". Instead of letting it dry for several months, they immediately paint wet paint on wet layer.

While the character is bizarre, the contemporary artists began to embrace this new style, and adopt it. Renaissance artists would prefer to seal the painting with a varnish, but Impressionist painters would have it varnish-free, maintaining the original art as they painted it.

The best thing about oil painting is that it can be redone anytime. The reason since oil paints does not dry immediately, it can stay wet for an hour, and hence, the artist can alter the style, texture, or totally remove the design until it becomes dry.

The solidified layer must be scraped in order to give the painting a smooth and downy effect. In scraping off the dry matter, never leave traces of chafed grime because traces of scraping to become obvious when scrutinized.

While it can be considered dry at first look, be cautious in finishing the art because some oil paints will completely dry for sixty to eighty years.

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Fabric Painting - Bored of Painting on Paper? Start Painting on Surfaces

By Murtaza Habib

You might have painted on the paper several times.

However, with fabric painting you will have fun painting on different materials.
You can use your painting skills on anything right from clothes, curtains, cushion covers or any other material that will enhance its beauty due to painting.

Just take an old outdated cloth, use your artistic skills out there and instantly transform it into a highly fashionable piece in a blink.

Do you know that cotton is the best material where fabric painting can be done perfectly well?
However, silk clothes is also suitable as such. If you want to try out fabric painting on other types of clothes all you need to do is just take a small piece of that cloth and try fabric painting out there to see whether the finishing of the paint is perfect.

It is important to note that the cloth that you are using for your fabric painting has a tight weave...

- Reason being, the colour seeps out through the fabric which does not give it a perfect look in loosely woven clothes.

Many clothes when they are new have a bit of sizing, which in turn does not attach the fabric painting to that cloth.

To solve this problem make sure that you wash the cloth before you do fabric painting on them.
Here's an easy way to test whether fabric painting is suitable for a particular type of cloth...

- Just drop water on that cloth and see whether the water gets soaked up inside that cloth or not, if it gets then it is a good piece where you can comfortably use fabric painting.

The above tips will surely help you to make your cloth absolutely safe when it comes to applying fabric painting and come out with a mind blowing artistic experience. Make sure you get started today.

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The Good Earth 3 - Painting on Linen

By Dorothy Gauvin

In a previous article, I promised a few tips on how to stretch your canvas ground. Here they are:
TIP. For any size larger than 18 inches on the long side, I recommend that you use heavy-duty stretcher bars. This timber is strong enough to make the traditional 'cradle' support unnecessary. However, you will still need to set-in an upright centre bar in the slots provided. It's a good idea to reinforce each end of these with a small piece of timber nailed to both upright and stretcher bar.

TIP. Keys - those little wooden wedges designed to be inserted in slots at the corners of the finished stretcher - are best not used at all. You can tack them, in a small plastic sandwich bag, to the back of the stretcher so they're handy if you do feel a need to tighten the canvas later.

TIP. Use stainless steel staples only; ordinary steel will rust and may rot the canvas. Invest in a good, heavy-duty staple gun; your hands will really appreciate it. Always cut your piece of canvas from the roll 4 inches longer each side than the stretcher. Don't trim it off at the sides. It won't look so neat, but if ever the painting needs to be de-mounted or re-stretched, the framer or conservator will bless you.

The day will come when nothing else but linen will satisfy you, and you'll be glad you're already familiar with the techniques for stretching and painting on canvas. As an organic fabric, any canvas absorbs moisture, swelling as it does so, and stretches or sags with the pressure you apply while working on it. Not a worry; that's just natural. When the work is finished and the paint layers begin to dry out, the canvas will return to its original state. There's no need for you to tighten the keys at the stretcher's corners; it's far better that you leave them alone.

TIP. Sometimes, collectors are tempted to tighten the keys when they notice a painting getting 'floppy' during a spell of wet weather. The risk of physical damage from that busy little hammer on the keys, and possible compromise of the paint layers from the stressing of the canvas, are thoughts that haunt me. So I've developed a way of deterring them. Over each mitre at the back of the stretcher I apply a galvanised steel bracket, held with galvanised screws - not nails. And I briefly explain why they should not be interfered with. Clients appreciate the extra care and trust the artist to know what's best for the painting.

Finally, why paint on linen?

The immediate answer lies in the gorgeous, 'live' look of linen and its substantial 'feel' as you work on it. Most artists who work in a finely detailed, realistic style prefer the smooth and tightly-woven version called Portrait. I happen to enjoy a heavier, rougher grade of linen. It does mean some wastage when cutting the roll, to avoid any areas where defects are too obvious. Also, it requires thought when choosing which side is 'up' so as to avoid having a troublesome slub just where a face or some other delicate element is to appear. But I think it's worth it to gain that subtle 'richness' that only a heavy grade of good linen can impart.

The 'How To' books on painting are legion. No doubt, like me, you've helped enrich the authors of many. Frankly, the years have taught me that is their main purpose in being; nearly all are too personal to the author/artist's style to be of much help to the artist trying to find her/his own Way. Of far greater help to you is a good, clear, and comprehensive book on materials and techniques - something that will give you the tools of craft to make your own kind of art. Here is one I recommend unreservedly:

The Painter's Craft - An Introduction to Artists' Methods and Materials by Ralph Mayer 226 pages limp cover illustrated in black and white. First published in 1948 by D Van Nostrand Company Inc, New York, the book has no ISBN since the International Standard Book Number system was adopted only in 1969. I have a treasured copy of the 1966 edition published by Viking Press of New York, from whom I understand the title is still obtainable. If you're a painter, and can have only one book on techniques and materials - this is the one!

The long-term benefit of using linen is simply that: Longevity of your work. None of us can predict what verdict History will make on what we produce. But after all, why not proceed as if our paintings, or some of them, may one day be as treasured as the work of the Old Masters? They were trained to have respect for craftsmanship in every aspect of making a work of art. As a result, many of their paintings survive to delight us, five hundred years later. We may as well follow their lead.© Dorothy Gauvin

Dorothy Gauvin's oil paintings have been reproduced as high-quality, affordable, limited edition art prints. Four prints comprise the Waltzing Matilda series. Five prints comprise the Great Australian Horsemen series. See them at http://www.gauvin.com.au

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